


Jealously Guarded

by Tarlan



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Angst, Episode Related, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-09-20
Updated: 2008-09-20
Packaged: 2017-10-21 11:00:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/224456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ronon shows Rodney the truth of whom he loves in images.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jealously Guarded

**Author's Note:**

> Episodes The Shrine and Tracker

Ronon carried on smiling as Rodney turned and walked away, wondering how someone so clever could be so stupid. From what he had seen of the T'auri--as Teal'c had called them--their societies were full of taboos, with the vast majority only accepting love in the form of one man with one woman. Sateda was not like that, neither were most of civilizations in the Pegasus galaxy, apart from a few religious nuts--as John would call them. In a galaxy where death came from the skies or through the gate without warning, where lives were snatched away in the culling beam destroying whole communities in a matter of hours, very few had issues with any form of love between consenting adults.

He loved Jennifer and he wanted to make her his wife one day, and he knew Rodney believed he loved her too. Except there was loving and then there was being in love. Ronon was in love with Jennifer and would willingly step aside if she showed that she wanted Rodney, but he knew she didn't. She loved Rodney but she wasn't in love with him.

What Rodney couldn't see because he was blinded by the taboos of his world, was that he was in love with someone else, someone whom he thought was so unobtainable that he'd crossed that possibility off his list long before he'd even considered it. Yet every word, every look, every slide of muscle under skin screamed that love whenever John walked into a room, and it had never been more apparent than recently, when Rodney succumbed to Second Childhood.

With all those complex layers of T'auri society stripped away, the childlike man had known whom he loved and trusted, and Ronon figured it was time to remind Rodney of what lay deep within his subconscious.

He made his way back to the infirmary and, with a significant look towards her office, drew Jennifer away from the sick girl she had promised to look after; he closed the door behind them.

"Ronon? How can I help you?"

"Need you to show Rodney the videos."

She frowned. "The ones from the parasite?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because he needs to know who he loves."

He saw her face flush with embarrassment and a healthy mix of anxiety, and he grinned, already aware of the one where Rodney declared that he loved her. "That one too."

Her voice lowered to a whisper. "I do love him but--"

"Yeah. I know."

"You do?"

"Yeah."

She was confused now, and it was a good look on her, made her look so vulnerable and sweet even though he knew a lot of that innocence was being chipped away from seeing the hardships of life in this galaxy, living beneath the shadow of the Wraith.

***

Getting Rodney out of his laboratory was easy; he just stepped in, grabbed the man and dragged him out forcibly, knowing Rodney would be too dignified to put up too much of a struggle against his own team mate when he knew he would lose--and lose face with his staff at the same time. Still, he bristled with resentment, arms crossed defensively over his chest as Ronon forced him to sit at the desk in front of his laptop.

Ronon hit play and saw Rodney's eyes roll as the first video played. He knew Rodney hadn't seen this diary of his mental decline, that he'd made excuse after excuse for not wanting to see his brilliance slowly eroded by a parasite in his brain. Ronon pulled up a chair and sat beside him, shoulders bumping. He smiled as Rodney pulled away from his touch at first before subconsciously seeking comfort as he deteriorated on screen with each passing day. When the love confession came, Rodney straightened and pulled away, as if only just recalling that they were rivals for Jennifer's affection.

He hit the pause, turning in his seat, no doubt with every intention of telling Ronon that neither of them needed to see any more but Ronon leaned forward and set it running again. Eventually, they reached the day Ronon had been patiently waiting for.

"JOHN! JOHN!"

In the background, Jennifer was trying to soothe a frightened Rodney but he was pushing her away, calling for John and only calming once John was there beside him, holding him tightly and letting Rodney bury his head against John's neck and shoulder. His arms wrapped around John and he was still whispering "John, John", over and over as John rocked him with such tenderness, pressing gentle kisses against his hair as he whispered softly to him, "I'm here, buddy. I'm here. I'll always be here for you."

Ronon froze the video on that image. "Now you've seen enough."

He left Rodney staring at the image on the laptop screen.

***

Ronon didn't see Rodney for a few days, which was pretty amazing as the man tended to be everywhere he turned usually, probably because they had the same affinity for the mess hall at all times of the day and night. On the third day, he saw John seated alone in the mess hall, nursing a cup of coffee that had gone stone cold. Ronon dropped into a seat opposite.

"You seen McKay?"

John narrowed his eyes. "He's been strangely...absent these last few days."

"He has a lot to think about."

John leaned back, looking casual to anyone who couldn't see the tension forming lines around his eyes and mouth. "About Keller?"

Ronon couldn't help the feral grin, wondering why no one else had picked up on John's casually guarded jealousy where Rodney was concerned and how subtly John managed to block most female attention towards Rodney...and not so subtly in other cases. He knew John would step aside if Rodney loved that other person, wanting to see Rodney happy even if it killed him inside to let him go. Ronon knew that feeling all too well.

"About you."

John barely managed to cover the shock and fear, and Ronon could see the man's mind churning over recent events, trying to see where he might have revealed too much. Ronon hadn't the heart to tell him that he'd been radiating his deeper feelings for Rodney for years, and he wasn't fooled by the smirk as John relaxed back into that pretend-casual sprawl.

"Well," he drawled. "I don't think Rodney has anything to worry about with me on the Keller front."

"I know."

The smirk faltered. "You do?"

"Yeah."

John straightened. "Any chance you can get less cryptic?"

"Nope." Ronon stood up, forcing John to look up at him before he leaned over so he could keep the words between only them. "You don't have anything to worry about either."

He walked away, grinning as John's plaintive words floated after him, "What's that supposed to mean?"

***

Rodney accepted a beer from John with a quiet thanks, swinging his feet slightly as he stared out across the ocean to where the sun was setting.

"I remember you bringing me out here when...when..." He rolled his finger, not wanting to actually say the words, _when I was becoming more stupid by the day._

"I wasn't sure how much you'd remember from that...time."

Rodney gave a soft, derisory laugh. "Towards the end, all I can recall is feeling...safe...whenyouwerearound."

"Huh?"

Rodney took a deep breath and turned to face John, drawing up one leg. He looked at John's strong profile, watching the way his Adam's Apple bobbed as he took a swallow of beer before becoming aware of the scrutiny and glancing at Rodney.

"I didn't know," Rodney whispered. "I didn't think it was...I didn't know."

"You're making less sense than usual, buddy. Maybe I should take this back." John made to grab the beer can from Rodney but Rodney gripped it tighter, drawing it closer to his chest.

"Oh no you don't. Get your own beer."

"That is my beer."

"No, this is _my_ beer. You gave it to me."

John smirked and Rodney realized that he'd been deftly maneuvered away from the _talk_ he'd been determined to have with John. He straightened in annoyance because they were both so bad at this....this....talking...thing. He huffed in irritation because if he couldn't even say the words inside his own head so how was he going to say them out loud? Now, John was looking at him like he'd grown a second head and, "This is ridiculous."

If he couldn't say the words then... He reached out quickly, placing a hand behind John's head and kissed him, just a dry smack of lips. John's eyes went round and incredulous, his hand lifting, fingers pressing against his lips.

"I only wanted you...at the end. I only wanted you. And. And. And I think you wanted...want me too." John stared at him, still open-mouth and wide-eyed with shock, fingers still pressed over his lips. "But...but if I'm wrong, and it's a distinct possibility that I might have misinterpreted what I saw on the video then...mmummph."

John's lips were soft despite the firm pressure against his own, his large calloused fingers gentle upon Rodney's face as he held him in place, his tongue wetting across Rodney's lips and sending a tingle of desire through Rodney. He opened to John willingly, letting him take what he should have taken so many years ago, and almost grieving for the time lost. Finally they parted, both a little embarrassed.

"You taste of beer," John stated.

Rodney licked his lips experimentally, screwing up his nose a fraction. "Did you have the garlic not-chicken for dinner? Before our date?"

John wriggled defensively. "I didn't know this was a date, Rodney."

"Well." He crossed his arms. "It is."

John grinned mischievously. "So...no more kissing on the first date?"

"What! Oh no, I've already waited too long for this." He snapped his fingers. "I have breath mints back in my room."

"No etchings?"

"What?"

"Maybe I don't put out on the first date."

"What?" Then Rodney got the reference. "Oh ha, ha, and you so do!"

And they bickered all the way back to Rodney's room, the breath mints forgotten as soon as the door closed behind them, along with all thoughts of Jennifer.

END


End file.
